This review will inevitably result in a cultural commentary on EDM, so if you’re just looking for the recap from that gig you only need to make it to the halfway mark…
In a Perth Festival lineup chockers with electronic acts, genre bending, and genre defining acts, C.FRIM takes a rightful place among hard to define artists. This elusive nature might be due to me being out of touch with the youths (that’s so cringe, did I actually write that?), or maybe C.FRIM is just the cusp.
It distinctively felt like a new generation of music, in a sub genre that might not be defined yet. The super charged sound felt like whiplash at times where a song was mixed in and out so quickly that there wasn’t enough time to register the track unless you were heavily familiar with it. The rapid fire tune progression is designed to reward astute listeners while also sidelining a track quick enough to avoid alienating the uninitiated.
At first it sounds erratic then once you realise the motifs and stylistic notes it’s easier to lean into it. But you can never get comfy. It’s like channel surfing or scrolling through short form media. The overall tone still managed to be regulated, as some of the more volatile tracks in the set were followed by bassier sounds to ease the crowd.
The jittery mixing showcased the acoustics of the space at the East Perth Power Station main stage as the concrete walls were able to keep up with the sound without any of the extensive elements being lost in transit. Sets like this are dependant on the acoustics to maintain their crispness.
Throughout it all C.FRIM manouvered around the decks like a fly watching it all in slow motion.
This can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-
I get the inkling that this modern sound is going to have a similar fate to breakbeat as a fleeting fast-paced genre that emerges as new technology becomes available and cultural contexts shift. In the early 00’s it was partially due to the increased availability of speed in the scene which influenced hyperactive sounds. Except in 2025 the cultural totem influencing the youths’ preferences is TikToks retracting their attention span. I’m loathe to refer to them as the “TikTok Generation” and feel like shrugging emerging selectors off as “TikTok DJs” is lazy and devoid of listener potential. However, the impact of short form media is undeniable.
It’s convenient to refer to it as a multi-genre set because the way that people mix and sample tracks is changing. It feels like we’re going through another major cultural shift akin to when hip hop producers realised they could sample old rhythm and blues songs.
There was also an unusual recycling of the same track in the opening set and the main act. There was a time this would be seen to be a marker of disrespect for the main act, or a sign that someone hadn’t done their research. But maybe this is a new egalitarian direction that doesn’t have the same rules of etiquette that once gave precedence to headlining acts.